Has anyone had any luck dealing with Dragoncares? (DML's new help/parts replacement webpage)
I got a copy of a new high profile DML kit with an incompletely molded hull and have had a somewhat frustrating experience dealing with them so far.
Has anyone dealt with them?
Anyone had any luck?
I had 2 experiences with the old Marco Polo folks, one good and one terrible.
Just wondering if I'm alone here.
Mike
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Anyone have any luck with Dragoncares?
MLD
Member Since: July 21, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 03:52 AM UTC
kingcrt
Member Since: August 11, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 05:58 AM UTC
I had similar experience with Dragon. I had a sprue of badly molded road wheels in a kit and had several emails with them and still haven't seen the sprue they said they would send, although this was about a year ago.
DRAGONSLAIN
Member Since: February 22, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 12:05 PM UTC
They are so busy working on their next 25 releases of the SdKfz 251 that they don't have time left to service their costumers. :-)
TempExp
Member Since: March 16, 2003
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Posted: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 01:01 PM UTC
Good luck is all I can say. My one experience with DML wasn't too good, although it ended OK....
Got a kit, a sprue was missing. E-mail DML, they said they'd send it. This went on for about 4 or 5 months. Finally they say the kit is OOP so they'll send me a new kit after I pick one from a list.
Wait another month or two, still no list. Finally, magically, they have the original kit again and send the missing sprue. It worked out in the end, but took about 6 months.
Got a kit, a sprue was missing. E-mail DML, they said they'd send it. This went on for about 4 or 5 months. Finally they say the kit is OOP so they'll send me a new kit after I pick one from a list.
Wait another month or two, still no list. Finally, magically, they have the original kit again and send the missing sprue. It worked out in the end, but took about 6 months.
MLD
Member Since: July 21, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 06:07 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Good luck is all I can say. My one experience with DML wasn't too good, although it ended OK....
Got a kit, a sprue was missing. E-mail DML, they said they'd send it. This went on for about 4 or 5 months. Finally they say the kit is OOP so they'll send me a new kit after I pick one from a list.
Wait another month or two, still no list. Finally, magically, they have the original kit again and send the missing sprue. It worked out in the end, but took about 6 months.
Was this from the new Dragon USA folks or the old distributor Marco Polo?
They have a slick looking website for requests like this, but all I've gotten is polite gibberish from them so far "Thank you for contacting us, your support is important.. we will try to resolve this quickly.." blah blah blah.. the electronic version of the dreaded "press 1 for accounts, press 2 for complaints"
They have asked for an image of the damaged part, so they could take it up with the manufacturer, but have made no promise to make anything right
As for the new 251's you'd think they wouldn't want disgruntled modelers complaining all over the internet about the short shot mold in one of those new kits, huh?
Mike
Grumpyoldman
ConsigliereMember Since: October 17, 2003
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Posted: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 07:33 PM UTC
Hmmmmm seems that "DragonCares" doesn't really care from the responses.
MLD
Member Since: July 21, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 08:43 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Hmmmmm seems that "DragonCares" doesn't really care from the responses.
Well that's the thing... it's all set up to take info, it seems like quite a reasonable way to go about getting help to the customer as quickly as possible, but...
I'm really not trying to drag Dragon through the mud here... yet...
But they seem to have put a lot of effort into appearance, and have accomplished little other than asking me to do them a favor and take a picture of the missing area so far.I'll be the first one to post up how great a job they did, just as soon as they do.
Mike
jimbrae
Member Since: April 23, 2003
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Posted: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 08:54 PM UTC
I applied to subscribe to their 'member' service 3-4 weeks ago - primarily to speed up access to news for the site... Toatal response - Zilch...ah well...Jim 
AJLaFleche
Member Since: May 05, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 09:11 PM UTC
Contrast this to Pegaso from Italy. Couple years ago, I bought their Spartacus at a show. The crest for the helmet was missing. I e-mailed them with a request and in 8-10 days got a part, the wrong one, probably due to language issues. I scanned the cover and highlighted the part and wrote them again. Another week and a half and I had the correct part. 
Grumpyoldman
ConsigliereMember Since: October 17, 2003
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Posted: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 10:29 PM UTC
Same for the little guy.... Mission Models....
Pick up something at a show, parts were missing, one call, got the parts in a few days.
Same for Squadron.... ordered a long out of production kit, one of their "just found inventories". Kit came missing a sprue, one call, a week later the sprue arrived.
Wish I could say Revellogram were as good, they took my 3 bucks for a part, and sent a letter saying out of luck...... kit was out of production, when kit came back into production, they wanted another 3 bucks.
Some places don't have customer service..... more like customer dis-service.
Pick up something at a show, parts were missing, one call, got the parts in a few days.
Same for Squadron.... ordered a long out of production kit, one of their "just found inventories". Kit came missing a sprue, one call, a week later the sprue arrived.
Wish I could say Revellogram were as good, they took my 3 bucks for a part, and sent a letter saying out of luck...... kit was out of production, when kit came back into production, they wanted another 3 bucks.
Some places don't have customer service..... more like customer dis-service.
Logan
Member Since: September 30, 2004
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Posted: Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 03:01 AM UTC
HI
No, but I would expect a much ballyhooed company trying to promote itself in the eyes of the public would be more responsive.
My advice is to post this EVERYWHERE and CC Dragondoesn'tcare ,...
Good luck!
No, but I would expect a much ballyhooed company trying to promote itself in the eyes of the public would be more responsive.
My advice is to post this EVERYWHERE and CC Dragondoesn'tcare ,...
Good luck!
DRAGONSLAIN
Member Since: February 22, 2004
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Posted: Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 04:06 AM UTC
or call 1-800-DRAGON-IGNORES for lots of fancy responses!!
yeah man, you should get this on every forum, perhaps they will start caring after that.
yeah man, you should get this on every forum, perhaps they will start caring after that.
Copper
Member Since: December 26, 2003
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Posted: Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 05:55 AM UTC
I can't comment about Dragon's service, but I have dealt with Tamiya through Brogefeldt Canada and had excellent service!! I have also had occassion to request replacement parts from Italeri / Testors with no problems. And finally Academy USA was also great to deal with!!
Customer service is everything! I also like the fact I can order separate sprues from Tamiya Brogefeldt Canada for a reasonable price.
Darryl
Barrie Ontario Canada
Customer service is everything! I also like the fact I can order separate sprues from Tamiya Brogefeldt Canada for a reasonable price.
Darryl
Barrie Ontario Canada
TankCarl
Member Since: May 10, 2002
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Posted: Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 06:10 AM UTC
Mike I agree with posting the question on all the other forums.Don't accuse just ask the same question.If you do feel like they aren't paying attention,add that after your question.
MLD
Member Since: July 21, 2002
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Posted: Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 09:12 AM UTC
Heard from Dragoncares tonight...
Their reply.
Dear Sir:
Sorry for not keeping you informed. We are searching for the part right
now and will mail it to you shortly.
Thanks for your time.
Regards
DragonCare
Patrick
Check me if I'm wrong, but they've got a WAREHOUSE full of kits at their disposal..
Maybe it's just that the idea that evey buisness person is free to apply their vast professional experience to solving the ills of the education system, but as a class room teacher, I feel uniquely equipped to tell them to
"Go out back"
"Find the right pallet"
"Open it and the kit"
"Take out the A sprue"
"Mail it to me"
It seems so simple... like the itterbug, it plum evaded them.
Sort of like 'fixing schools...' must seem.
I'll let you know when the part arrives.
Mike
Their reply.
Dear Sir:
Sorry for not keeping you informed. We are searching for the part right
now and will mail it to you shortly.
Thanks for your time.
Regards
DragonCare
Patrick
Check me if I'm wrong, but they've got a WAREHOUSE full of kits at their disposal..
Maybe it's just that the idea that evey buisness person is free to apply their vast professional experience to solving the ills of the education system, but as a class room teacher, I feel uniquely equipped to tell them to
"Go out back"
"Find the right pallet"
"Open it and the kit"
"Take out the A sprue"
"Mail it to me"
It seems so simple... like the itterbug, it plum evaded them.
Sort of like 'fixing schools...' must seem.
I'll let you know when the part arrives.
Mike
MLD
Member Since: July 21, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 05:52 AM UTC
Dragon's latest posting.
I gotta wonder what sort of 'slow boat from china' shipping they are using when US Post office gets stuff from coast to coast in 3-5 buisness days.
All I really want is the upper hull, it will be ineteresting to see if they send the one part or the whole sprue.
Dear Sir:
Thank you very much for waiting. Your replacement part will send out the next business day and it should arrive within the next 7 to 10 business days.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us again.
Best Regards
DragonCare
Post on Tuesday, October 05, 2004
I gotta wonder what sort of 'slow boat from china' shipping they are using when US Post office gets stuff from coast to coast in 3-5 buisness days.
All I really want is the upper hull, it will be ineteresting to see if they send the one part or the whole sprue.
Dear Sir:
Thank you very much for waiting. Your replacement part will send out the next business day and it should arrive within the next 7 to 10 business days.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us again.
Best Regards
DragonCare
Post on Tuesday, October 05, 2004
MLD
Member Since: July 21, 2002
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Posted: Friday, October 08, 2004 - 05:38 AM UTC
The part arrived today and boy was it well packed!
Bubble wrap, tissue paper and foam peanuts in the small sized USPO priority mailing box.
I figure I ought to praise up the folks from Dragoncare as much as I tore at them while waiting. I've posted this to all the places I asked about their service.
"I was complaining here a little while back about the slow response time from the DML/Dragon customer service website Dragoncare.
I contacted them on the 26th and have my replacement part here on the 8th
I wanted to spread the word that Dragoncare worked for me.
They'd said it would take 7-10 days in their last message, but that was the 5th and the part arrived, very well packed USPO Priority mail from City of Industry California, in Vermont today.
Well done Dragon.
Mike"
Bubble wrap, tissue paper and foam peanuts in the small sized USPO priority mailing box.
I figure I ought to praise up the folks from Dragoncare as much as I tore at them while waiting. I've posted this to all the places I asked about their service.
"I was complaining here a little while back about the slow response time from the DML/Dragon customer service website Dragoncare.
I contacted them on the 26th and have my replacement part here on the 8th
I wanted to spread the word that Dragoncare worked for me.
They'd said it would take 7-10 days in their last message, but that was the 5th and the part arrived, very well packed USPO Priority mail from City of Industry California, in Vermont today.
Well done Dragon.
Mike"
DRAGONSLAIN
Member Since: February 22, 2004
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Posted: Friday, October 08, 2004 - 06:15 AM UTC
I told you posting this on every forum would work, they couldn't risk it, :-) :-) so at least we now know dragon cares.
Logan
Member Since: September 30, 2004
entire network: 523 Posts
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Posted: Friday, October 08, 2004 - 06:52 AM UTC
HI
Excellent news. Now, are you actually gonna build it or is it going to sit and wait in your lurkum :-)
Tom
Excellent news. Now, are you actually gonna build it or is it going to sit and wait in your lurkum :-)
Tom
MLD
Member Since: July 21, 2002
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Posted: Friday, October 08, 2004 - 07:37 AM UTC
Quoted Text
HI
Excellent news. Now, are you actually gonna build it or is it going to sit and wait in your lurkum :-)
Tom
How does that lyric go..??
"Praying for the end of time..." all my kits hum that on the shelves while they are waiting for their turns..
well, lessee here.
There is a Tamiya 251 due for the Verlinden Uhu, Tamiya 251 for the New Connection Falke parts, the AFV Club /9 late with the DML gun parts since my AFV Club ones were warped in all 3 axes, the 75% done AFV Club 251 D and about a million other kits in line in front of it... :-)
I may switch the New Connection parts over to the DML kit however.
yeah, I'm going 251 crazy now, but it was hinds, and before that Panthers and before that M113's, and before that Merkava's...OH6's, SF3D..
I am not a well man.
Mike
Sabot
Member Since: December 18, 2001
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Posted: Friday, October 08, 2004 - 08:24 AM UTC
Boy Mike, how many places did you mention the Dragon kit problem? I've run across at least four (RMS, Tank Talk, M-L, here). You must have really been expecting the worst.
MLD
Member Since: July 21, 2002
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Posted: Friday, October 08, 2004 - 09:46 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Boy Mike, how many places did you mention the Dragon kit problem? I've run across at least four (RMS, Tank Talk, M-L, here). You must have really been expecting the worst.
Yup that's all..
After a less than stellar experience (6+ months and eventually had to call them and point out they had the same kit on sale from the boxtop madness promotion. So go out back and get one) with the old Marco Polo folks, I was prepared for a long slog to get this part.
Since it was the upper hull there was no real chance I could build the kit without it either.
Them asking for a picture before then not mentioning replacing the part until I pointed this out to them got me a little pissed off.
Other than TL which I can't seem to get into tonight, I'm making the same rounds and making sure I let folks know that they came through.
It seems Dragoncare does actually care and replaces parts in a relatively timely manner. Your mileage may vary....
Mike
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